Happy Birthday Nick Miller
by rose coloured glasses
Summary: Its Nick's birthday! What will happen? (I am the worst at summaries)


**A/N: This will be a two shot story. I just don't know when the next chapter will be up since this has been sitting on my computer for months now. Thanks ImJudyGarland for the suggestion to post this.**

It was a Saturday afternoon and Nick had just arrived home from doing a day shift at the bar. The loft was weirdly quiet. Normally the guys would be on the couch watching basketball while Jess sat at the dining table grading papers or doing an art project. But no one was to be found.

"Ok, this is weird." Nick said to himself as he poked his head into the room he shared with Schmidt, only to find Ferguson napping on Schmidt's bed. "Hey buddy, do you know where everybody is?"

Ferguson just looked at Nick blankly, yawned loudly and went back to sleep.

Nick shrugged and walked out of his room towards the kitchen. "Hey with everybody out, may as well make Nick's special lunch." He was about to get a frozen burrito from the freezer when his phone started ringing. "Hello?"

"Nick? Are you home?" Schmidt asked, there was something weird about his voice.

"Yeah, why?"

Schmidt started to sound a little panicky. "It … its Winston. He had a bad day down at the Police Academy and he is up here on the roof crying. It's getting weird. You better come up here to help calm him down. Also bring a jacket, it is getting kind of cold."

"Are you sure Winston isn't the only one being weird? Schmidt, you sound a little off."

"Just hurry up here!" Schmidt cried out and hung up the phone.

##

Nick grabbed a jacket and walked up to the roof. "Winston? Are you ok …?" Nick trailed off as he opened the door to the roof.

"SURPRISE!" His friends shouted. "Happy birthday!" They added.

Nick grinned at the sight before him. Coach held bunches of balloons in his hands and was wearing two party hats on his head. Schmidt was dressed in what you could call 'clown chic' and had a couple of bottles of champagne in his hands. Winston had streamers draped over his shoulders and was blowing loudly into a noise maker. "You guys, my birthday isn't until tomorrow."

"We know but we plan to stay out here until midnight when it will be your birthday." Cece replied and moved forward to give him a hug. "Blame Jess for this, it was her idea." She whispered in his ear.

Nick looked over at his ex-girlfriend who was looking a little nervous. "Come here Jess," He said and pulled her into a big hug. "Thank you."

Jess held onto the hug a little longer than normal. "I know you don't like big fancy birthdays or surprises but I thought getting drunk on the roof with your best friends is always fun."

Nick laughed. "Yeah it is. Question, what the heck is Schmidt wearing?"

"We don't know!" Jess replied giggling.

Cece - who was standing nearby – rolled her eyes and added. "I think he has had that hidden in his closest for an occasion like this."

"That's just scary. I need a drink."

"Here you go birthday boy!" Winston cried out handing Nick a beer.

"Cheers man."

"Let's get this party started!" Coach cried out, turning up the Ipod dock that somebody had brought up which started to play an 80's and 90's playlist.

Nick grinned. "OK this music is awesome. Who did this?"

Cece caught his eye and nodded her head towards Jess who was now deep in conversation with Winston. "She has been planning this for weeks which included making a playlist of your favourite songs. But don't tell her I said anything, she wanted it to look like an impromptu party."

"My lips are sealed." Nick replied, smiling to himself as he took a swig of his beer.

##

"Ok Nick now you have to trust us." Coach said as he approached the birthday boy with a blindfold.

"Are you going to kidnap me?"

Coach pulled a face. "What? Are you crazy? We have something else planned so put this on and wait. It won't be too long." He handed Nick the blindfold who reluctantly wrapped it around his eyes.

"This is really weird guys, I can hear you whispering." Nick cried out.

"How much have you had to drink?" Schmidt asked nearby.

Nick thought about it for a moment. "A bit." But nobody replied until Winston took the blindfold came off as everybody sung "Happy birthday" and Jess approached with a cake that she had baked.

"….hip hip…HOORAY!...hip hip…HOORAY!" Everybody finished singing.

"Now blow out your candles and make a wish!" Jess and Winston cried out.

"This is really lame…" Nick started to say but the looks on his friends faces told him otherwise. He blew out the candles, made a wish and caught Jess' eye who smiled in encouragement.

"Who wants cake?" Jess asked while everybody cheered. She cut Nick the first slice who took a bite.

"This is so good! Thanks Jess."

"You're welcome!" Jess beamed as she continued to cut everybody slices. "Chocolate with peanut butter frosting – it's your favourite. I couldn't bake anything else."

"Yeah you could have." Nick retorted, when Jess raised her eyebrows. "Your apple and custard pie is a close second."

"Well now I know what to bake tomorrow for your actual birthday when everybody is nursing hangovers on the couch." Jess replied with a smile and with that she was grabbed by Cece to dance to 'Wannabe' by the Spice Girls.

Slowly, one by one his friends came up to give him their presents. First was Coach. "Happy birthday Nick!" he cried out and handed his best friend a wrapped box.

Nick opened up the box to find a Chicago Bulls basketball jersey. "I know this wasn't easy for you to buy. Thanks man!" He took off his jacket and immediately put on the jersey over his t-shirt. "This is awesome."

Coach clapped Nick on the back and walked away as Winston approached with his gift. "This is from Ferguson and I. He picked it out."

"You and your cat have a strange relationship." Nick remarked.

Winston nodded. "I know. Just open it."

Nick opened the gift bag to find a bottle of Jack Daniels Whiskey. "Nice! One of my favourite drinks."

"Look at the date."

Nick looked closely at the bottle and sighed. "The year that Dad was born."

"Figured you'd want Walt here somehow." Winston replied. "Just make sure you drink this. He would want you too."

Nick was speechless as his oldest friend walked away. He had a few moments to compose himself before hearing footsteps approaching.

"You ok?" Cece asked.

"Do you want the honest answer?"

Cece shrugged. "Only if you want to give it." She handed him a card. "Happy birthday Nick. I didn't know what to get you."

Nick opened the card and saw a Hardware store gift voucher. "Thanks Cece. I'll use it well."

"I thought you might. Also a piece of birthday advice: Make your move."

Nick shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about." He gave a side glance to Jess who was line dancing with Coach.

Cece pulled a face. "Oh please. You have both been single for nearly six months now. Everybody knows that you're meant to be together. What's stopping you?"

"Screwing up like last time" Nick asked.

"You won't." Cece replied like she was so sure of herself.

"How do you know?"

"Well if I have to answer that then maybe you shouldn't make a move after all." Cece walked away to leave Nick to his thoughts.

**Well this went a completely different direction than originally planned so please let me know what you think. Its been awhile since I've posted on here.**


End file.
